3 Sangharakshita’s Teachings in Theory and Practice

III Theory and Practice

b | Sex and Lifestyle

Having alienated followers from their families, women and heterosexual relationships, Order members are encouraged to engage in homosexual relationships since, within the FWBO, such relationships are considered to be part of the path to enlightenment. [ The FWBO Files, 19 ]

The FWBO Files’ most serious allegations against the FWBO concern sex, and the associated area of lifestyle. However, its account is utterly wrong. The FWBO’s approach to sex in theory and practice is readily attested by the heterosexual, homosexual, married and celibate Buddhists practicing in the FWBO. It has also been discussed very fully in numerous texts, yet these go unmentioned in The FWBO Files. [ 114 ] and taken leading roles in the FWBO itself. [ 116 ] It also makes no attempt to see the FWBO’s experiments with lifestyle in relation to the FWBO’s doctrinal position, or in an historical context — and this gives rise to grave misunderstandings. For a full account of the historical context see the article by Dhammadinna in Appendix 1.